Career Development Forum

September 10th:
Career Development Forum

This afternoon around 2:45, I have to sit in a room with my boss and the HR manager to receive feedback from the companies career development forum.

Cannae wait! Well, I can actually but there you go.

I am 42 years old, have a family to keep, a mortgage to pay and act as a hunter gatherer who ensures provision for three square meals a day on the table and in order to do so I have to earn a crust. Mrs. Mink does her bit too, I am not complaining here, just stating the bloody obvious.

The last thing I need in terms of work is feedback on my potential. But organisations do that don't they. Estimate your potential. How can you really do that when every individual has the ability to be unique and be so dynamically different to the next person? It baffles me. I don't know what to expect so I am going in expecting nothing. I have a feeling I won't be disappointed that way.

I went to one a while back and the guy said to me, "where do you see yourself in five years time" to which I replied "in your shoes". He wasnae happy. He said "well it's dead man's shoes, you might have to wait longer". That gave the game away for me. Flushed their bovine excreta right out so it did.

Truth is though, back in my days of youth I was interested in Career Development of a different kind. The year was 1986, Alan McGee took me to UCL in London to watch Felt. They were very good. He was developing us Jasmines and he was planning a trip to Scandinavia for the Minks along with Felt. Alan for all the stick he gets from various quarters does know what he's doing.

That night he introduced me to Edwyn Collins. He's a giant of a man. He shook my hand and said "awright mate" and that was it. Tell you what though, that was enough. He's ace. Given the health issues Edwyn has had, it's testament to the man that he's done a new batch of work.

It strikes me that with the release of his new album "Home Again" out next week on Heavenly, he's had his own wee Career Development Forum and gone for it. I can't wait to buy a copy and hear what's what. It might be an estimate of his potential but only for this moment in time as he continually develops new potential and fulfills it time and time again. I hope he never stops.